OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Just thought I'd share with you how our club is going at the moment. I'm really proud of the ways its going and the efforts of all involved.

When I first started playing table tennis about 7 years ago i counted and we had 72 people playing competition/league/pennant at the time. For the next 3 years for various reasons our numbers dwindled, so much that in June 2013 we only 30 players on the final night of our competition. The C grade was non-existent with just an ad-hoc competition with those that turned up.

We play in school terms with each season about a 10 week block. We run all year round therefore have 4 competitions each year. We are currently taking registrations for our upcoming Autumn season. We are now starting to hit all-time highs with 84 players so far registered. Due to this increase we've had to purchase an extra table and hire out the adjoining hall so we can accommodate everyone. The absolute maximum we can cater for now is 87 but there is every chance we will hit that and have to cap the registrations or buy another table.

Compared to other clubs with similar numbers we are quite weak in standard with our highest rated 1,200 RC (possibly 1,600 or 1,700 US??) At the other end of the scale though we have an abundance of players at the beginner level. A few of which can barely string together 2 consecutive hits. This however is the strength of our club. ANYONE can come in and have a go and fit into a competition. No one comes to our club and feel out of their depth. Players are graded in several divisions to ensure that standards remain competitive with each other. This season we will probably have 5 grades.

Unfortunately we don't have a separate juniors comp so everyone plays together. Our youngest is about 10 years old but can still play well enough in our lower grade. Our oldest is an 83 year old lady with very limited mobility. She's right at the bottom of our lowest grade and rarely gets a win but loves coming out. In between we've got everything else imaginable.

We have a family atmosphere. Swearing is not tolerated nor any other poor behaviour, not that its a problem as it rarely happens and is nipped in the bud immediately. Can't risk our 83 year old lady or the mother of a 10 year old seeing bad behaviour and stop playing.

Our competitions are very structured with draws, ladders etc circulated frequently as are other communications so everyone knows what doing on.

So what do I think the keys are to this success? Structure, communication, inclusion and follow up.

Structure - People like to know whats going on and not have to think too much about it. They need to easily see when and where they are playing and who against. Just like the sharemarket, no-one likes uncertainty, people like familiarity.

Communication - We have a website and facebook page and also use email. We ensure that every player, past player, prospective player is either on the email list or part of our facebook group. We like to send out information about upcoming events, finals, season registrations every couple of weeks or so.
Also we keep the website ticking over. This makes the club seem like an active vibrant club. Old information make you look dead.

Inclusion - We don't care about your ability, age, gender, religion etc etc. If you can hit a ball you are in.

Follow Up - If someone requests to join our facebook group we sent a message to invite to come for a hit. If someone appears at the club for the first time we take details and ask to put on the email list. We also ask how they enjoyed it. We follow up with new players to see how they are going, having fun etc. It just makes them fell welcome.

In recent times we've also introduce different formats for our 'off-seasons' of Spring and Summer just to spice things up. We usually do 3 x 3 format but for the off-seasons we've done two versions of 4 x4 and also a 6x6 format where the whole club was together in the one comp with A, B & C graders all in the same team (they didn't play each other). We found this brought everyone together.

In a time where many other sporting clubs are seeing reduced numbers, we are currently seeing an increase which is great to see and not just a credit to the organisers but a credit to every member who makes new players feel welcome and want to stay involved.

I'm not looking for any congratulations (though feel free ) but again, just really excited about whats happening down here so wanted to share what we are doing.

Table tennis.......the sport for everyone.

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Donic Waldner Senso V1,FH Baracuda Big Slam 2.0mm ,BH Victas Triple Regular 2.0mm

Thanks for sharing.

Great to hear a positive story and what your club does to help ensure it stays that way. Do you play in a school? If yes where do you store your clubs tables and what are the days and times your club is open? It would be great if you could do something like a 5 second video panning your hall during one of your club sessions so we can get a feel of the atmosphere and vibrancy. Table tennis, all ages, all abilities.

We are at the showgrounds in a hall there. We have our 8 tables set up all the time apart from 2 weekends a year we need to pack it up. We open Mondays 7 to 9 for practice and competition if on Wednesdays. We can open any time but don't.
Our extra 4 tables in the adjoining hall may need to be packed up more often.

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Donic Waldner Senso V1,FH Baracuda Big Slam 2.0mm ,BH Victas Triple Regular 2.0mm

Oooooooo. 24/7 access.

How much is membership / fees?

$45per year membership
$5 on comp night
$2 practice night


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Donic Waldner Senso V1,FH Baracuda Big Slam 2.0mm ,BH Victas Triple Regular 2.0mm

It sounds like a thing you are right to be proud of. Is that the same showgrounds I used to visit every year in the 50s and 60s? Happy days.

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Other setups:
SDC Custom Blade/Butterfly Dignics 80/Butterfly Glayzer
BTY Viscaria/Tibhar K3/Tibhar K3

Showgrounds... as in County Fairgrounds? I suppose that would be a great place to have a club if you were in the US, except it'd occupied for about a week during Summer.. Huge, huge buildings, once in a while they'd have an event (like a Hamfest) that would occupy a tiny part of them. Usually a little out of town, but not very far. Heating would be a problem in the winter, though - those buildings are HUGE.

Iskandar

Yep, same one.

Spot on Iskandar, big building that is freezing cold in winter. There is no heating. We have to pack it away twice a year for the Show (fair) and again for a car Show and Shine. We lose two weeks comp every October.

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Donic Waldner Senso V1,FH Baracuda Big Slam 2.0mm ,BH Victas Triple Regular 2.0mm

Some really good ideas in there for other clubs to borrow, Cobalt. Good work!

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"Once you get past a certain threshold, everyone's problems are the same: fortifying your island and hiding the heat signature from your fusion reactor." –Doctor Impossible

I must admit, I miss the county fair. Those huge cinnamon rolls, the demolition derby, the goat barn where you could pet the goats, the free wooden yardsticks (I'd use these as model airplane parts..).

Iskandar

Good on you Cobalt! You should be proud, as no doubt you're one of the key people that have made this happen.

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